Interpretive Summary: Particleboard is produced by compressing small wood particles while simultaneously bonding them with an adhesive. Environmental issues and the economics of wood fiber supplies may provide the incentive to produce particleboards from annual crops such as kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.). Kenaf is an annual fiber crop that can produce high yields throughout the southern United States. The objective of this research was to determine the feasibility of producing medium density particleboard from whole stalk kenaf. Everglades 41, a common kenaf variety, was grown at Ladonia, Texas in cooperation with the Ladonia Market Center and the USDA research lab at Lane, Oklahoma. The kenaf was cut in the fall at maturity, allowed to field dry, made into large round bales and delivered to Temple-Inland facility at Diboll, Texas for processing in particleboard. The whole stalk plant material (bark and core) were ground and then made into 5/8 inch thick boards using one of three resins as adhesives, which included urea formaldehyde (UF), phenol formaldehyde (PF), and diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). Temple-Inland also produced a particleboard with a Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) outer surface and a whole stalk kenaf center using a urea formaldehyde resin. Although the tests were preliminary, the results indicate that particle boards with 100% kenaf with UF resin ((50 pcf, 125 psi Internal Bonding (IB), 2796 psi Modulus of Rupture (MOR), and 425,600 psi Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)) and the SYP face with kenaf core with UF resin (51 pcf, 109 psi IB, 2800 psi MOR, and 540,700 psi MOE) showed impressive particleboard properties for panels produced around 50 pcf density.

Technical Abstract:
Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is a high yielding annual fiber crop capable of production throughout the southern United States. The objective of this research was to determine the feasibility of producing medium density particleboard from whole stalk kenaf. Kenaf, Everglades 41, was produced at Ladonia, Texas in cooperation with the Ladonia Market Center and the USDA at Lane, Oklahoma. The kenaf was cut, allowed to field dry, made int large round bales and delivered to Temple-Inland facility at Diboll, Texas for processing. The whole stalk plant material (bark and core) were ground and then made into 5/8 inch thick boards using one of three resins, which included urea formaldehyde (UF), phenol formaldehyde (PF), and diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). Temple-Inland also produced a particle board with a Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) face and a whole stalk kenaf core using a urea formaldehyde resin. Although the tests were preliminary, the eresults indicate that particle boards with 100% kenaf with UF resin ((50 pcf, 125 psi Internal Bonding (IB), 2796 psi Modulus of Rupture (MOR), and 425,600 psi Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)) and the SYP face with kenaf core with UF resin (51 pcf, 109 psi IB, 2800 psi MOR, and 540,700 psi MOE) showed impressive particleboard properties for panels produced around 50 pcf density.